Nursing in Fiji began with Florence Nightingale’s influence through a student, Frances Wedderburn.

Through Wedderburn, Fiji produced its first qualified staff nurse, Miss May Anderson in 1897, who had undergone training for three years and laid the foundation of the nursing system.

The Colonial War Memorial Hospital’s Anderson maternity ward is named in memory of her.

According to the book, The Lady of the Lantern, “The Living Saint”, an inspirational story of Matron May Christina Anderson, compiled by her nephew Robert Anderson in collaboration with his sister Nora McGrail, May’s parents Alex and Rebecca first arrived in Fiji in 1870.

The Andersons had purchased land at Namata, by the Sigatoka River, for 300 pounds to engage in the planting of tobacco.

Following the disappointing loss of their firstborn, May Anderson was born in 1874, four months older than the new colony of Fiji.

Soon six other children joined her, but tragedy soon followed when Alex Anderson passed on leaving a young mother with children ranging from two to 14 to raise.

The family continued to live in an isolated location and at night Rebecca would sleep with a loaded rifle due to the early rebellion from some of the hill tribes, and other civil strikes.

Rebecca’s future was focused on her children and Anderson’s early responsibility of family care prepared her for life’s work in nursing.

At the age of 20 in 1894, Anderson was accepted as a probationer nurse and then was appointed as a staff nurse after her three-year training.

“The menial tasks, the rigid discipline, the long tedious hours for poor wages were no different in Suva than the conditions that prevailed elsewhere,” the book read. “Two years (1899) later saw her appointment as a sister-in-charge.”

She was also commended by the acting colonial secretary in London for her devotion to nursing her colleagues and patients during the typhoid fever outbreak at the hospital in 1895.

Her matron, Ms Wedderburn described Anderson as a quick and intelligent girl who quickly became a proficient nurse stating: “Her patients always spoke well of her kind and thoughtful care of them. Personally, I can speak of her kind and gentle nursing.”

A sad occurrence happened when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 1899. She required surgery only available in Australia.

After taking leave for three months, she returned to Fiji and resumed duty in February 1900.

This was the same year that the Colonial Hospital was recognised as a training hospital which allowed nurses trained in Suva to be granted equal status as those trained abroad.

Anderson was registered on the Roll of the British Nurses Association and in the Australasian Nurses Association.

In 1902, she was appointed as the Matron of the Suva Colonial Hospital and Matron of the Lunatic Asylum, the forerunner of St Giles Psychiatric Hospital.

Before this, indigenous Fijian girls began nursing training at the beginning of 1901 after the need was identified due to high infant mortality rates.

“Miss Anderson’s proposal was that good types of girls be given specialised training in midwifery before sending them back to their districts to give proper treatment to mothers and babies.

“Having been brought up among the Fijian people, she knew only too well the casual way in which too often Fijian babies were born and nursed.”

Helping her select the nurses was a man named Ratu Joni Mataitini of Rewa, who was one of the earliest native medical practitioners. “At first the course was restricted to simple midwifery and was not a general nursing course,” the book noted.

“In the process of learning about hygienic midwifery, they also picked up a knowledge of general nursing.”

While native girls spoke Fijian more than any other language, it proved no difficulty for Anderson as she understood the language well since childhood.

The first six girls to be trained were Vetina Baudrome, Taina Nkauta, Arieta Vakabuna, Makareta Mara, Elena and Lice.

These girls were from Lau, Ba, Tailevu and Rewa; they did well in their training and this showed in their respective districts because encouraging reports were received about them.

This led to the extension of the course and as a result Anderson was able to send more than 100 trained girls to various places in Fiji.

“Matron May used to say that Fijian girls were strong, always happy and possessed good tempers. “All of these factors she considered extremely important in nursing.

“She kept in contact with her nurses and on visits to Suva, they would seek her out to review the old days at The Colonial Hospital.”

She also played a prominent role in the training of Fijian medical students before the establishment of the Central Medical School. In 1912, Anderson travelled to England and obtained her Diploma in Nursing and a certificate from the Royal Sanitary Institute.

During the influenza epidemic of 1918, death occurred daily at the hospital and 9000 Fijians died. This was an exhausting and distressing time for Anderson and all the staff.

During this period a team was assigned to visit villages and remove the bodies that died from the infection. “The exertions to which she had been subjecting her body began to tell their tale,” the book about Anderson noted.

“Despite it being the one thing she least wanted to do, she had no alternative but to seek early retirement at the age of 46 after, 26 years of service.

“In her application, she stressed that her ill health was due to overwork.”

Her retirement was officially approved on January 27, 1920. The book stated there were times when Anderson would carry the responsibility single-handedly at the 150-bed hospital for periods of up to six weeks because there was never an adequate staff.

“At other times when there had been no resident medical officer, there was increased responsibility.

“In addition to her nursing and matron’s duties, she acted as housekeeper, dispenser and as a duly credited anaesthetist.” She had also worked as long as seven years without a single day off duty and had to sacrifice three months of leave on half pay because she was requested by the Chief Medical Officer remain.

“Her salary as Matron was £210 per annum with uniform, quarters and board.”

After retirement, she moved with her mother to Katoomba, Australia where the climate was better for her health and they later returned to Suva after a few years.

They resided at Colo-i-Suva at an eighacre piece of land in the hills and her door was always open to those who came for help. In her will, she left this property to the Methodist Church to use as a girl’s home.

During her last six years on earth, she lived in Lami and after leading a rewardful and simple life, passed on April 12, 1962.

Her funeral was held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral and attended by a large crowd, including European and Fijian nursing staff, who were by all means inspired by her life’s work.

• History being the subject it is, a group’s version of events may not be the same as that held by another group. When publishing one account, it is not our intention to cause division or to disrespect other oral traditions. Those with a different version can contact us so we can publish your account of history too — Editor.